SW KOTOR: Rebirth of the Fallen
by B James Hunter
Summary: Set 10 years after the events of KOTOR - However hard you try, you can never quite leave your past behind you. Rebirth of the Fallen begins in a school on Taris, the war with the Sith a distant memory...
1. Default Chapter

**Rebirth of the Fallen**

A short story by B. James Hunter

Chapter 1.

The boy ducked just in time. A second later and the lightsaber would surely have made contact with his head.

"Nice move Jerel, but you'll have to be quicker than that".

The sabres clashed twice in quick succession.

"You know you can't beat me – just admit it," the boy said with the calm assurance of someone sure of his own skill. In frustration, Jerel again slashed his saber at Nakwon but missed his intended target. What he didn't miss however, was the carefully stacked pile of books assembled in the corner of the room. The books tumbled to the floor in what seemed like slow motion, each one making a louder noise than the last. There was, however, no smell of burning paper; indeed the books were not damaged in any way.

"I don't believe it. I've broken it! This thing cost me six month's pocket money and it's ruined!" That was the last thought Jerel gave to his broken toy.

"Jerel Norak, come here this instant!" Came a loud penetrating voice from the doorway of the classroom. "Just what do you think you are doing, young man?" Asked the woman at the door. Jerel knew better than to lie. Not that he wasn't an especially good liar – he _was_, he just couldn't lie to Miss Serrano. No-one could.

"I brought my lightsaber in to show my friends and I..."

"And you thought you'd give the class a demonstration?" interjected the teacher before he could finish. "Yes miss." Jerel hung his head. He'd been caught red handed and he knew it.

"Give it to me" Miss Serrano said and held out her hand. Without looking up, the boy handed over his toy. "This is dangerous, Jerel." There was a hint of compassion in her voice. "Even if it's not real, you could still hurt someone. God only knows why you boys play with these things". Another entirely predictable "Yes miss" came from Jerel. But there wasn't a problem here. Miss Serrano knew this. Jerel _was_ highly strung and impressionable, but there wasn't a hint of malice in the boy. "Well, seeing as you're _so_ keen to give the class a demonstration, I wonder if you might consider helping Mr. Mozaal clean the exhaust manifolds on the school shuttle after classes this afternoon." Jerel knew this wasn't a suggestion.

"Yes miss," came the now automatic response.

"I'll inform Mr. Mozaal of your impending attendance Jerel; now take your seat young man."

The young teacher made her way purposefully to the front of the class and began programming the wall mounted holo-emitter. Throughout the conversation between his friend and Miss Serrano, Nakwon had said nothing, and with the teacher now pre-occupied with starting her lesson, he edged towards the door. Just as he got to the exit, he stopped in his tracks.

"You didn't think I'd forgotten you, did you Nakwon?" As one, the whole class turned to look at the now visibly deflated figure at the door. The boy turned to face the source of his not inconsiderable anxiety. Miss Serrano was not looking at him as she was still working furiously on the holo-emitter with her back to the boy. _'How DOES she do that?' _Nakwon thought to himself. _'It's creepy.'_ "We're already running late so I'll make this brief. Put the toy on the table and get to your class". _'Not bad,' _thought Nakwon. _'I'm getting out of this lightly.' _Nakwon put the lightsaber on the table next to Jerel's and made to leave. As before, he had just made it to the door when she caught him again. "Do I need to tell you where you're going to be this afternoon after class?" Nakwon sighed_. 'So close.'_ he thought.

"No miss."

"Sorry for the delay class. Please open your data pads and run program 'Taris Ecological History, chapter 19'. Now who can tell me the name of the author of the 'The Origins of Life'?"

--------------

The auditorium was full. In truth, it had been full long before the last of the parents and dignitaries had arrived and taken every spare space available. No-one cared about the cramped conditions. Just five years earlier, nobody in that room would have imagined the scene before them even taking place at all. The room was alive with noise, the anticipation made for an electric atmosphere and the excitement was tangible. A huge black curtain, over fifty feet in length, crossed the stage. From the wings, a man made his way to the small glass podium that was setup at the centre of the stage. At sixty nine years old, Mayor Gadon Bek looked much younger than he was. He was well dressed and instantly recognisable from the advanced Vantek ocular visor he always wore that allowed him to see. The crowd fell silent as he reached the podium.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It's so nice to see so many friends here tonight even if I can't actually _see_ all of you all that well." A ripple of laughter spread through the crowd. Gadon was a popular man and he knew how to play to an audience.

"When I was asked to come here and present tonight's concert, I was delighted to accept. I was delighted firstly because my son Gredon is among those playing for us this evening." Again, applause broke out. "But there is also another reason I wanted to come. I wanted to say something I should have said a long time ago." That got everyone's attention.

"Ten years ago, there was nothing here. Those of you who lived here when the Sith destroyed Taris city know only too well what I mean." The mood of the crowd changed in an instant. There was no-one in the room that had not been affected by the events Gadon was talking about. Eighty percent of the population of Taris had died that day and those who remained, struggled to survive against seemingly insurmountable odds. "We might all have died, and all that Taris was would have been lost forever." It was a sombre thought but entirely plausible. "But we didn't. We survived. And help came." Murmurs of agreement could be heard around the room. "The construction workers came and helped, _are helping _us rebuild our towns and cities. The medical teams came and nursed our sick, healing our wounded, making us strong again." More applause and shouts of 'Yeah!' from the crowd. "And the teachers came. They brought their knowledge and taught our children how to live again, how to carry on." The crowd had come full circle and were now once more applauding loudly the emotive words of their Mayor.

"But I want to talk about one person in particular." Once more, all fell silent. "Now I know she'd kill me if she'd known I was going to do this but I'm here now and she can't do anything about it." Gadon turned his head and smiled at the woman watching him from the wings. "Nine years ago there wasn't much of a town here, and what there was wasn't pretty. I'm not too proud to admit that we had more than our fair share of problems." Several of those in the crowd nodded their heads. "Crime was bad, food and water were in short supply and our _school_, as it was, was an old warehouse with more bugs than books!" Laughter echoed around the auditorium.

"But that's all changed thanks, in no small part, to a young woman who I'm sure needs no introduction." The crowd broke into spontaneous applause. They all now knew who the Mayor was talking about. "When Catherine Serrano arrived here nine years ago to teach our children and help rebuild our school, no-one could have imagined the impact she would have on our town." The crowd continued to applaud. To say Miss Serrano was popular was something of an understatement. Almost every single person in the room had been helped in some way by her, either directly or through their children.

"Now I'm not one to carry on all night listening to the sound of my own voice," continued Gadon, "so I'll get to the point. Catherine Serrano, my friend and yours, has transformed this school into the centre of academic excellence it is today. And, as mayor of this fine town, I would simply ask you to join me in thanking this wonderful woman for all the good she has brought into our lives. Ladies and gentleman, I give you, our children's headmistress, Catherine Serrano." At once, every member of the crowd rose to their feet, cheering and applauding for all their worth. Gadon once more turned to the wings and gestured for Catherine to join him on stage.

The young woman strode confidently across the stage, smiling and waving to the cheering crowd. Upon reaching the podium, she warmly took Gadon's hand and kissed him on the cheek before turning to face the audience.

"Ladies and gentleman, Mayor Bek." The applause continued as Gadon raised his hand in appreciation. When, eventually, the crowd fell silent, Catherine began to speak. "I have to say I really didn't see this coming _at all_. And Gadon, you're right; I _would_ have killed you if I'd known." Laughter broke out around the room. "And I still might". Catherine shot Gadon a look a mock menace. He had known her longer than anyone on Taris and she regarded him as her closest friend. The faux threat was strictly for the crowd. "Anyway, I'd just like to say that these past nine years have truly been the happiest of my life and that I could not have found a more decent and kind spirited group of people had I travelled the galaxy for a millennia." Once again, the crowd rose to its feet, cheering and applauding the young woman.

Finally, some semblance of order was restored and when everyone had retaken their seats, Catherine spoke again.

"As nice as that was, this evening isn't about me. It's about the children of this school. Your children. When we first decided to put on this concert, my fellow teachers and I weren't sure of the response we would get from the children. Well, needless to say, we needn't have worried. I don't think there is a child in the school who didn't want to be a part of tonight." As she spoke, Catherine turned to see the production manager in the wings who gave her the signal that everything was set and ready to go. "So without any further ado, I give you the children of the New Taris Republic School."

--------------

The school's main reception suite bustled with families all discussing the concert. Every parent seemed to be at once praising the group as a whole whilst at the same time extolling the performing virtues of their _own_ child. It was only natural Catherine thought. Pride, in moderation, was a good thing.

From the balcony overlooking the suite, Catherine stood; drink in hand, observing the throng below. She had done her duty after the concert and mingled with the parents, every one of them wanting her opinion of their own child's performance. It had been hard to think of something original to say for each and every one of them and she was tired.

"I was wondering where you'd got to." Catherine said, continuing to watch the crowd below.

"I was talking to Gredon. You've got to admit, that boy can play." Catherine could hear the smile on his face as he spoke. "He's not bad I suppose" Catherine responded, nudging shoulders with her friend as he came to rest on the balcony. She turned to look at Gadon; if he was as tired as she was, he certainly didn't show it.

"Thank you for what you said tonight, old friend. It was _totally_ unnecessary but I appreciate it all the same."

"You look exhausted my dear, you should get some rest" Gadon replied. In addition to their friendship, Gadon had always felt protective of her in much the same way as a father would for his daughter. Catherine knew this but didn't object. She never knew her real parents and Gadon made a comforting surrogate. It was nice to be cared for.

"I know, and I will, I promise. I just have a few things to........"

_In an instant, she was back. Back then. Her mind filled with images of death and violence, of combat and brutal bloodshed. She hadn't felt this way for a long time and for a second, just a second, there was panic._

Her old instincts came alive and the panic was gone. Gadon sensed something was wrong immediately.

"What is it?" he asked. There was no response. Catherine was too busy scanning the crowd below. Looking for someone. For someone who didn't belong there. "Catherine, what's wrong?" Gadon spoke again, like his friend, now scanning the crowd, although for what he didn't know. And then she saw him. Standing at the entrance to the suite was a figure in robes. A hood, covering his face. He stood out but somehow no-one in the crowd seemed to notice him. And he was looking for someone.

For nine years Catherine Serrano had strived to leave her past where, she knew, it belonged. She had created a new life, totally separate from anything she had been or done before. And yet now, after all this time, standing in _her_ school, looking for _her_, was a Jedi Knight.


	2. Chapter 2

Rebirth of the Fallen

A short story by B. James Hunter

Chapter 2.

The buildings were all on fire. The devastation was considerable. Huge columns of smoke rose up like giant sea serpents, high into the night sky. Blaster fire could be heard from all directions as the inhabitants of Taris city fought in vain to repel the invading forces. Storm troopers moved in groups, using well drilled battle tactics to overcome their opponents. The soldiers were not the primary concern however. What struck real terror into the hearts of the defenders was not the soldiers but the dozen or so Sith masters leading the assault. Almost no-one on Taris had ever seen a Sith master but everyone had heard of them. And what they _had_ heard terrified them. And here now, in their city, they found themselves confronted by the very source of their nightmares.

From the doorway of one of the burning buildings, Catherine Serrano surveyed the scene before her. It was almost too much to take in. If the destruction being wrought by the soldiers and the saber wielding dark masters was not enough, huge laser blasts rained down from an unseen enemy high above the clouds, tearing the buildings apart as if they were made of paper.

A scream from the courtyard to her left brought Catherine's mind back into focus. At once, she was running. The entrance to the courtyard lay just ahead. As she approached, a grenade hit the base of one of the gateways giant supporting pillars, shards of marble exploding in every direction. The huge monolithic pillar began to sway as if trying to decide which way to fall. Its decision made, the structure began to crumble and collapse in on itself; falling to cover the entrance way to the courtyard and gardens beyond. Catherine did not stop running and as the marble blocks began to fall, she jumped. A huge piece of marble slammed into the ground with a crash that sounded as if the sky itself was falling. Catherine landed on the stone and immediately sprang forward, propelling herself high into a forward flip. In one flowing movement, twin beams of violet light erupted from the metal objects she was carrying. The motion of her flip brought forth two violet arcs that cut clean in two, another giant piece of the stone pillar that was falling towards her. The block exploded, clearing a path through the hailstorm of rock. Completing her forward flip, Catherine landed perfectly inside the courtyard as the last of the pillar came crashing down behind her.

The sight before her almost ripped her in two. Corpse upon corpse littered the courtyard. Men, women, even children lay lifeless on the crimson stained grass of the town gardens. She knew these people, she knew them _all._ Something didn't seen right. It was late and the courtyard was seldom frequented after nightfall. They would all have been home when the attack began. Suddenly, it dawned on Catherine the full horror of what she saw. These people had fled _here_ when the fighting broke out. The buildings were being destroyed from above and the secluded courtyard would have seemed a perfect safe haven from the attacks. The Sith master knew this and had simply waited for his prey to come to _him_. In the search for shelter they had found a tomb.

The dark Sith turned to face her from across the garden. His face and tunic were splattered with blood: it dripped from the handle of his double-ended lightsaber. The Sith said nothing; instead he stretched out his arm towards Catherine and beckoned her to attack. The Jedi cleared her mind and started to move. Just then, something caught the attention of them both. A boy, no more than fourteen, fell from one of the trees. From his landing, it was obvious he had been there for some time. Catherine could only guess the horrors he had been forced to witness. The tree from which the boy had fallen from lay directly between Catherine and the Sith. In an instant, her priorities changed. She ran towards the figure, still lying on the ground, battered from his fall. The Sith laughed at the site before him. "Foolish Jedi" he hissed. "Your willingness to protect these pathetic worms will only hasten your annihilation." As with the Jedi, the Sith began to run in the direction of the child. As he approached, he flung out his hand as if trying to stop himself from hitting an invisible wall. Catherine felt the wave hit her like an explosion. She flew backwards at great speed, hitting with considerable force a large tree behind her. Winded, Catherine collapsed to the ground gasping for air.

She looked up to see the Sith standing over the now cowering body of the young man. The boy held out a hand to the woman and cried out.

"Please help me Miss Serrano." With that, she saw the boy's face and recognised him immediately. Jerel was crying and his face was a mask of abject terror. The Sith laughed once more and raised his saber above his head. As if in slow motion, Catherine looked on helplessly as the dark master brought down his weapon upon the young man cowering below.

"NO!" screamed Catherine as she jolted upright in her bed. For a second, she sat there, motionless in total darkness; breathing heavily and drenched in sweat. It took at least a minute to get her heart rate back under control. Slowly, she brought her hands up to her face and audibly exhaled. Pulling back the covers, she climbed out of bed and walked unsteadily to the bathroom. Cupping her hands under the tap, she filled them with cold water and lowered her head towards the basin. With her face dripping wet, she looked into the mirror at the pale figure staring back. She remembered what had happened earlier that evening.

She remembered talking to Gadon upon seeing the cloaked figure.

"You see the man by the door?"

"I see him. Is he trouble?" Gadon replied. Catherine ignored the question.

"Bring him to my office." And with that, she put down her glass, turned and began to walk away. Gadon looked at his friend and then at the glass. A trail of wine had spilled and had run down the side of the crystal and onto the balcony ledge. Gadon saw the spilt wine and was now genuinely concerned. In all the years he had known the woman, Catherine Serrano had been calmness and composure personified. The very idea of her spilling a glass of wine was akin to someone else floating off into space.

"Can I help you sir?" asked Gadon as he approached the figure by the entrance. The cloaked figure turned and looked at the man before him. With no great haste, he brought both hands up and pulled back his hood, revealing the light complexion of young man; almost a boy.

"Do you know where I might find Master Serrano?" the young man replied. The name Serrano caught the attention of those in the immediate area. "Did he say _Master_ Serrano?" asked one parent to another. Gadon surveyed the crowd and knew he had to nip this in the bud. The mayor laughed but the Jedi sensed it was forced.

"I don't know of any master here young man. I think you may be a little confused." He continued, not allowing the Jedi to respond. "Why don't we go and talk to the headmistress of this school? Perhaps she may know of who you speak." The Jedi sensed what Gadon was doing and played along. As the older man gestured, the young Jedi followed Gadon through the crowd and up a flight of stairs towards the school's administration section.

Catherine walked through the living area of her home in total darkness. As she reached the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator and brought out a large jug of Kaltak milk. Not bothering to find a glass, she opened the jug, brought it to her mouth and drank heavily. The half empty jug clattered onto the work surface as Catherine pressed her head against the cool door of the refrigerator and closed her eyes.

Gadon knocked on the office door. After what seemed like an eternity, "come in" was heard from inside the room. Gadon and the young Jedi walked into Catherine's office. Gadon said nothing. "It is an honour to meet you Master Serrano. My name is Tu Li Shin." said the stranger, now ignoring the mayor and concentrating fully on the young woman before him.

"Don't call me that." said Catherine. The young man seemed taken aback; as if he couldn't even imagine such a response.

"Do you want me to go Catherine?" said Gadon. He felt uncomfortable, like he suddenly didn't belong there. And yet, he wanted to stay. He wanted to protect his friend, any way he could.

"No," came the response, a little too quickly. Catherine was having trouble even meeting the eyes of the young man before her. She wasn't prepared for this. Nine years of teaching and living in a community had softened her. She knew, deep down that everything she once was still lingered within her. It was buried deep and she had no wish to go looking for it. "You must be tired from your long journey. I insist you accept our hospitality tonight. We can talk in the morning." The kind offer was not for the Jedi's benefit. Catherine needed time to think.

"But Master Serr--"

"Let me take you to your accommodation young man." interjected Gadon, cutting the Jedi off with the skill of a politician.

"But I really--"

"Tell me; are you hungry?" said the mayor, again stopping the Jedi in his tracks. This time, the older man followed up his remarks with a look that said this conversation was over.

"Thank you. You are most kind." replied the Jedi, now resigned to continuing his mission in the morning.

Catherine stood upright and walked out of the kitchen and into the living area. As she turned to make her way back to her bed she caught sight of the large object in the corner. Catherine stared at it for a moment before crossing the room to stand in front of the locked wooden chest. Taking a key from a hook inside a nearby vase, she opened it. At the base of the container was a robe, neatly folded. Lying on top of the robe was a small metal box about a foot square in size. A lifetime was in this chest, someone else's life. She let go of the lid.

--------------

Catherine greeted the Jedi at school's main gate.

"I trust you had a pleasant rest _Mr _Shin?" as she spoke she turned her head to look at the three girls standing nearby, listening to their conversation. By now, the _Master Serrano_ comment would be all round the school and she had no wish to fan the flames.

"You girls should be inside by now. Hurry along and get to your classes" said Miss Serrano. They didn't need to be told twice.

"Perhaps we can take a walk?" Catherine asked, gesturing in the direction they might travel. "I apologise _Miss _Serrano if I caused you any problems last night. It was not my intention to inconvenience you." The young Jedi was genuinely concerned he had overstepped the mark with the woman at his side. "You want to tell me why you _are_ here?" Catherine's voice betrayed no emotion. The pair fell silent as they passed a group of young children being escorted to class by their teacher. The two women acknowledged each other with a smile as they passed. Catherine and the young Jedi continued to walk along the path before turning right into the courtyard and its botanical gardens.

"Master Vandar has been poisoned. They say he might die." Catherine took a moment to take in what she had just heard. She had gotten to know Vandar very well at the end of the war and cared for him deeply. That was all many years ago however.

"And why are you telling me this?" Catherine winced inside at what she had said. She wanted to know more but she couldn't risk being drawn back into their world. For the second time in two days, the young man was surprised by her response. _'Perhaps she's not the Jedi everyone says is?' _he thought to himself.

"I'm telling you this because Master Vandar has asked for you."

Whilst it wasn't clear which one of them sensed it first, Catherine was first to react. She turned and stared down the path they had just walked and saw a figure, once again, cloaked and wearing a hood standing at the entrance to the courtyard.

"There's another" cried Shin. Catherine turned and followed the gaze of the young Jedi. Standing directly opposite the first figure, was a second man, cloaked and hooded as before. These were no Jedi, that much was obvious. Catherine's first thought was to scan the courtyard. Unusually for this time of day, it was empty. For that, she was thankful.

A familiar hiss echoed around the courtyard as first the two Sith and then Tu Li drew their lightsabers.

"Tell me you're good with that thing" said Catherine as the unexpected noise startled all the birds from the trees.

"Stay behind me" replied the Jedi.

In an instant, the Sith on Tu Li's side stretched out his hand. A huge arc of force lightning leapt from his fingers instinctively connecting with Shin's raised lightsaber. For a second, this caught Catherine's attention, only a second; but it was long enough. Even as she turned once more to face the Sith nearest her, another powerful arc of lightning ripped into her. With no saber to absorb the force, Catherine cried out as the excruciating power coursed through her body. Still connected to the woman, her attacker raised his hand and pushed it hard to his left. Catherine felt herself rise from the ground, still racked with pain from the continuing energy discharge. Tu Li looked on, unable to do anything as Catherine was thrown clear across the courtyard with great force into the trunk of a tree.

The noise from the courtyard had attracted much attention from the people nearby. No-one could quite believe their eyes. '_Who were these men and why was Miss Serrano here?'_

A woman in the crowd started to scream when the Sith sent the young teacher flying across the courtyard. Others in the crowd ran to get help.

"Well that concludes our meeting Gentlemen; unless there is any other business?" Gadon began to think about lunch when he heard the commotion outside. Opening the window, he could see people running in the direction of the school. "What's going on?" he shouted. A raven haired man shouted up to the Mayor. "There are people fighting in the courtyard. The school headmistress is there." Gadon cursed under his breath. _'The arrival of the Jedi was a sure sign of trouble' _he thought to himself. _'Dammit, I should have been there.'_ Then it hit him. He suddenly knew what to do.

"Kalina. Get my transport ready. NOW!"

Catherine groaned and made to move. She could smell her own singed flesh as she tried in vain to get her muscles to relax. Tu Li didn't know what to do. He had never been in combat before and here was not one but two dark Sith masters. The young man did not lack courage however and ran at the figure facing him. In quick succession, Tu Li's blade clashed twice with the Sith's weapon. The boy spun and crouched, sweeping his saber across the area previously occupied by his opponent's legs. The Sith was far too quick for the boy. He flipped in the air and landed in the exact same spot he had left. This time, the dark master attacked. Blow after blow rained down on Tu Li's blade. With the skill of a master, the Sith cut the lightsaber from the Jedi's grasp and with an outstretched hand of his own, sent the young man flying backwards in a wall of energy.

The two Sith looked at each other and laughed.

"I am almost disappointed" said Krell Lito, the Sith who had defeated the young Jedi. "I expected at least _some_ resistance; but your pitiful skills cannot possibly compare to the power _I_ possess." The second Sith looked over at the crumpled figure of Catherine Serrano. She had regained muscle control but it was still too painful to move. "Kill him so we can finish what we came here to do" he said impatiently.

"No-one said we had to make this quick" Krell retorted before unleashing a burst of force lightning into the prone figure of Tu Li.

The two security officers who arrived on the scene were met by the agonised screams of the young man lying on the ground.

"Lower your weapons" they both shouted, pointing their blasters at the Jedi standing over Catherine. The Sith began walking towards them, ignoring their command. Feeling adequately threatened, both the officers fired their blasters at the approaching figure. With rapier skill, Rulin Krogan weaved his blade twice, ricocheting the blasts of laser fire and directing them back where they came from. The officers flew backwards as the energy blasts hit them in their chests. They were both dead before they hit the ground.

"On your knees Jedi." Almost spitting the words as he spoke them, Krell waved his hand upwards and pulled the almost unconscious young man to an upright position. He raised his saber above his head, holding the weapon with both hands, his face a mixture of hatred and pleasure. Without saying another word, the Sith brought down his blade cutting the air where the boy had been a split second before. The red blade cut into the grass as the boy flew with no little force, through one of the sheet glass windows of the botanical greenhouse.

Instantly, both men turned their attention to the young woman behind them. Catherine Serrano was still lying on the ground but her hand was outstretched in the direction of the greenhouse.

"So you _do_ have spirit in you after all." It wasn't a question. If anything, it was a nod of respect. "She's mine." said Krell standing in front of the greenhouse. "The boy can wait."

Catherine braced herself. She had almost recovered from her initial injuries but with no lightsaber, there was nothing she could do. She prayed the Sith would leave after she was dead.

"Catherine" shouted Gadon. He was standing at the entrance to the courtyard. Krogan, the Sith who had killed the security officers stretched out his hand to strike him down. Just as he did so, Gadon mustered up all his strength and threw an object into the air towards his friend. A moment later, the mayor flew backwards; the air forced from his lungs as he collided with, and destroyed, a wooden bench along the edge of the path.

What happened next happened very quickly. As the small metal box spun through the air, Catherine rose to her feet. The Sith by the greenhouse saw what was coming and ran at the woman. The clasps on the container suddenly burst open revealing two silver coloured lightsabers. As if attached by wires, they left the metal container and flew into the hands of the young woman.

Almost immediately, the twin violet blades hissed into life and came crashing down on the blade of the approaching Krell. The pair exchanged blow for blow, parry for parry; all the while the second Sith rushing to join the fight. Krell began to move backwards with the fury of Catherine's blows. If she'd had time, Catherine would have been surprised and more than a little down hearted to see how quickly her old skills had come flooding back. With supreme agility, she continued to force the Sith back on his heels. And then she had him. For an instant, he dropped his guard on his left side and Catherine struck. With a sweeping arc of her right saber she took his arm off just below the elbow. In a single motion, Catherine twisted her body; turning to face the second attacker, and span the blade in her right hand. As she turned, her right arm and saber continued to travel around behind her, beheading Krell.

The second Sith stopped running. Catherine faced Krogan, one blade pointing straight at him, the other in the opposite direction exactly where his fallen associate had stood. The Sith struggled to take in what had just transpired. Anger and rage contorted his face as he screamed. At full speed he ran at the woman. Catherine didn't move from where she was standing. She parried the first blow and with a swing of her second blade slashed across the back of the Sith just as his momentum carried him past her. Catherine didn't even look back. The Sith stood motionless for a second, blood pooling at his feet. His lifeless body slumped to its knees and then fell, face first onto the grass just as the violet blades of Catherine's lightsabers receded.


	3. Chapter 3

Rebirth of the Fallen

A short story by B. James Hunter

Chapter 3.

"He's pretty banged up but he's going to be ok." Doctor Shovan said as he entered the room, wiping blood from his hands with a small white towel. "A few cuts and bruises with some minor tissue damage but nothing fatal." The doctor crossed the room to join Catherine at the window. On the other side, a prone figure lay on a large hospital bed. In truth, it was more of a cot than a bed. Two silver metal bars, raised six inches above the mattress, ran parallel down each side. It almost looked like a cage.

To the right of the bed, stood a large white medical projection unit. The red lense at its centre producing a 3d thermal image of the figure lying by its side. Various markers around the image indicated localised injuries, relaying information to other systems. Above the bed, another nameless piece of medical equipment quietly worked away. This unit had several vials of different coloured liquids connected to input sockets in its underside. Two thin wires ran from its base to a neural band being worn by the patient. Clear tubes were also visible, this time attached to blood vessels in his arms.

"Trust me," said Shovan, "it looks _far_ worse than that it is."

Catherine knew he was right. Tu Li had taken a bad beating but the boy was strong, she felt it.

"Anyway, I think it's about time you let me take a look at _your_ injuries, young woman." The doctor had wanted to treat her as soon as she'd arrived at the medical centre but Catherine had insisted on being seen last.

"I'm fine" came the response; her voice flat and distant. "Young lady" began the doctor. "I have been your physician for nine years and I haven't ­_once_ let you leave this building with so much as a scratch." The doctor was serious now. "And I'm not going to start today. Now let me look at you." It wasn't a request.

As the doctor began tending to her injuries, Catherine once more turned and looked at the young man lying motionless in the room beyond. '_He's just a boy'_ she thought to herself. She thought back to how she was when she had been a Jedi. It seemed like a hundred years ago.

"I'm going to have to cut this. Do you mind?" asked Shovan, holding the hem of the young woman's dark blue dress. It _had_ been a beautiful dress, a present from Gadon's wife Echelle on her 27th birthday.

"I don't suppose it matters now does it?" replied his patient; looking down at the garment's various tears and burns. Just then, the door opened and a man with a familiar face entered the room.

"Now how the hell do you come out of this in better shape then me?" asked Gadon. His left hand was bandaged and he walked with a slight limp, aided by a wooden cane.

"What can I say? I bounce better than you." shot back the reply, without a trace of humour.

"Can you spare us a couple of minutes doc?" said Gadon. Shovan glanced up at the mayor and then at Catherine. They were looking at each other and it was clear they had important matters to discuss.

"Sure......I need to go and sort...something out" replied the doctor, sensing the change in atmosphere. "Five minutes ok? You need those treated" continued Shevan, indicating the burn marks on Catherine's legs. He exchanged a look with Gadon and left the room.

"People are talking, Catherine." started Gadon.

"It's hardly surprising" replied the young woman. "It's not every day people fight to the death in the town courtyard." Catherine was shattered. Every inch of her ached. The burns were bad enough but she was pretty sure she had also cracked a couple of ribs when she had hit the tree. There was something else though; another reason for the pain and Catherine knew exactly what it was. She could feel the Force flowing through her body. It was if she was floating in warm water. She hadn't felt the Force with this intensity in a long time and like an athlete returning to train after a spell on the sidelines, the burn was incredible. "What are they saying?" she asked, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

"Some of the school governors are talking about letting you go", Gadon was almost ashamed to answer. He certainly didn't feel that way. He had said as much in the meeting with those same men and women only twenty minutes earlier.

'_How can you even contemplate this course of action? Are you forgetting everything she's done for this school?'_ he had asked them. His remarks had fallen on deaf ears. The governors were afraid; they feared for themselves and they feared for the children in their care. Gadon knew this; he knew that same fear drove them to take the safest course of action, to ignore the past and secure the future. And if that meant the dismissal of their headmistress, so be it.

"You can't blame them, Gadon. Put yourself in their position and tell me you wouldn't even consider doing the same thing. I know I would." Catherine had all but accepted she would have to leave Taris and it broke her heart. In truth, she had known this day might come from the moment she had returned. Everything she had been before was left behind but a past like hers could never stay buried forever.

"Are the children ok?" Catherine's thoughts returned to her charges.

"Yes. You don't have to worry on that score. They were all sent home for the day but according to Gredon, everyone knows what happened." Gadon reached out his hand and cupped the side of Catherine's face. "It's going to be alright. Trust me kiddo."

"How's the boy?" continued Gadon, looking at the young Jedi through the window.

"Doc says he's going to be fine" replied Catherine. "He should regain consciousness in a few hours. I'm going to stay here until he wakes up." Gadon looked at the young woman. He knew she was in pain, both physically and emotionally.

"He's not your responsibility; you know that, don't you?" he said, desperately trying to find the right words. "He came looking for _you,_ not the other way round" continued Gadon. "Not to mention the fact you saved his life. Hell, he owes _you _the way I see it." Unmoved, Catherine said nothing. She knew Gadon spoke the truth. Everything he said was right but she couldn't bring herself to walk away. Turning her back on the boy and walking out of the centre was not acceptable. There was a time when such a course of action would have seemed the _only_ thing to do and this was precisely the reason she _had _to stay.

"Listen, why don't we go over to the school right now and sort this mess out" said Gadon, trying to stir up some passion in his friend. "I asked the governors to stay behind at the school while I came here. They want to talk to you" he continued. "I know between us we can make this go away."

"You're not going anywhere young lady" interrupted the doctor as he re-entered the room. "You've had your five minutes and _more_ Gadon, now let me do my job." The mayor turned and nodded his acceptance to the doctors' request.

"I'll be outside when you're ready" said Gadon, picking up his cane and making his way to the door.

--------------

Gadon looked up and unfolded his arms as the door opened and Catherine stepped out into the hall. She had a large surgical bandage on her left leg running from ankle to knee. From the shape of her dress it was obvious a large section of her right leg above the knee had also been treated and dressed. A couple of small dressings were visible on her arms and neck.

"Well, don't you look a site" said Gadon with a smile as he stood up, trying his best to lift her spirits.

"Look who's talking" shot back the response, the slightest of smiles now visible on the young woman's face.

"You think I look bad?" replied her friend, "You should see the bench!" Had it been any other time, Catherine would have laughed; but not today. The continuation of the merest of smiles was the best she could do.

Just as they were about to leave, the doctor spoke. "What do you want me to do with the uh....bodies?" Catherine knew he was talking about the Sith. He had been uneasy about having them in his centre from the moment they had been brought in. Something about them didn't feel right. He looked at Catherine and then at Gadon who was himself staring intently at the woman, awaiting her response.

"Was either of them carrying any kind of identification?" she finally asked the doctor.

"Nothing at all" came his response. "Just the robes they were wearing" he continued.

Catherine thought for a second before speaking again. In a voice devoid of emotion and pity, she looked at Doctor Shovan and said, "Burn them."

As they made their way slowly down the steps of the medical centre; Gadon stopped. Placing a hand on Catherine's shoulder he looked into the young woman's eyes. As she stood their, Gadon asked her a question that shook her to the core. "Have you thought about how you're going to explain this to your son?"

--------------

Among the systems of the outer rim, Mulara was nothing special. Only one world circled its sun and the giant ringed planet had been totally devoid of life since the days before the Republic. A loosely packed asteroid field circled the outer reaches of the solar system, remnants of a second planet, destroyed by a meteor eons before. In the shadow of the ringed planet sat a large ship. The array of laser batteries and gun turrets coupled with the sheer size of its hull left no doubt as to what the craft was used for. Cargo haulage was a dangerous business, especially in the outer rim and the weaponry and heavy shielding of the ship had been put to use on numerous occasions. It sat there in space, completely motionless as if it were a giant creature taking refuge from the sun to sleep.

The ship had been sat there for nearly an hour and Rotok the Hutt was not someone who was used to waiting.

"I don't like this, boss" said Vokol Reesh, Rotoks' chief of security. "I don't think they're coming."

"They'll be here" came the reply. The bridge of the Tatooine battle freighter was eerily quiet. Apart from Rotok and Vokol, the only other person present was the helmsman. Normally the bridge, indeed the ship, would have been carrying a far greater compliment of men but the client had stipulated a skeleton crew for their meeting. For the money he was getting, Rotok had accepted the condition without question. Besides, who in their right mind would ever attack a Hutt, Rotok had reasoned.

Suddenly the helmsman spoke.

"Long range scanners are picking up a ship, my lord." The man manipulated the navigational display before him and spoke again. "Bearing one nine three. It's on an intercept course, ETA nine minutes."

"Fire up the engines and raise the shields" replied Rotok. He was sure there wouldn't be trouble but he also knew it didn't hurt to be prepared. In his considerable lifetime, he had seen too many others destroyed through simple arrogance; a trait he did not share.

He spoke again, this time to the tall green Twi'lek standing in front of him. "Prepare the package for transfer. I want no mistakes. Understood?"

"Of course my lord" replied Vokol. He wasn't a man who _made_ mistakes; the very number of years he had been in the Hutts' service was a testament to that fact. He made his way to a large door at the rear of the bridge. The door opened and he stepped into the lift. "Cargo hold one." As he spoke, the door resealed and the lift began to descend.

Within the approaching ship, a lone figure sat in the transport suite, directly behind the bridge. The man sat motionless, his eyes closed as if in silent meditation. Suddenly, the communication array on the table before him burst into life. The array made several beeping sounds before a holographic image of a man in military uniform appeared. The figure was distorted and it was obvious the transmission was being sent from a great distance.

"Forgive the intrusion my lord, but I have disturbing news." The fear coming from the holographic figure was palpable. The military commander was well aware of his lord's reputation for dealing harshly with those who failed him. "Krell has failed in his mission my lord" continued the holographic figure, eager to distance himself from any recriminations.

The figure on the ship did not speak. He remained motionless, his eyes still closed.

The commander spoke again. "Shall I send another to complete the mission my lord?"

Finally, the man opened his eyes. He stared at the holographic figure before him and began to speak. "No Commander. That will not be necessary. She will not remain on Taris for long. She will go to Coruscant." The figure rose to his feet as he spoke and began crossing the room to the view port opposite. "We need not pursue her any further. In time, she will come to me." He turned and once more stared at the small projection before him. "Are my agents in position?"

"Yes my lord" came the immediate reply, the officer once more snapping to attention.

"Then you know what must be done Commander" It was not a question.

The small ship decelerated as it approached the freighter. The vessel was a medium range personnel transport and had little shielding and even less in the way of armament. From the bridge of the freighter, the helmsman spoke once again. "Incoming message, my lord."

"I am pleased I have not wasted my time in coming here, Hutt" the voice said, barely concealing its contempt. The helmsman looked back at Rotok, awaiting his reply. In all the years he had worked as Rotok's pilot; he had never heard anyone speak to him in that way. At least no-one who was still alive five minutes later. It occurred to the Hutt that his client spoke as if he knew the item was onboard. He pushed the thought from his mind and spoke. "Do not waste my time with your veiled threats. I trust you have my money?"

"Of course" came the reply. "Initiate docking procedures."

Rotok nodded to the helmsman and he turned and entered a navigation sequence into his display. Slowly, the two ships began to move closer. When the vessels were close enough, the freighter extended a docking arm. It connected with the airlock on the smaller ship, automatically configuring its locking mechanism, making it compatible with its target. A rumble could be heard through both ships as the connection was made.

The door at the freighter side of the airlock slid open to reveal two large, heavily tattooed figures moving slowly along the recently constructed walkway. Between them was a large container about six feet long and three feet high. It obviously weighed a great deal as even with the anti-gravity platform supporting it, the two figures were visibly struggling to maintain forward momentum. Once inside the cargo bay, Vokol ordered the two men to place the container on the ground and to open it so he could verify its contents.

When the container's lid was unlocked and removed, Vokol's eyes widened as he caught sight of the bounty within. Even working for the Hutts, he had never in his life ever seen thirty five million credits in one place. Taking a small device for his belt, Vokol began scanning the container and its contents. When he was finished, he walked to the wall and activated the comm system connecting him to the bridge.

"Is it all there?" said Rotok. He was growing impatient and was eager to conclude this transaction and be on his way.

"Yes, my lord" came the reply. "The package is verified."

"You have your money Hutt; now give me what I paid you for." The voice from the smaller ship was also impatient and had lost none of its earlier bite.

"Vokol. Release the artefact" said Rotok over the internal comm system. The security chief acknowledged the order and nodded to an enormous figure standing at the rear of the cargo bay. Vokol's man crouched from where he had been standing and picked up a metal container. The package was fairly small but as with the payment, was extremely heavy. As he reached his superior, the man handed the box over to one of the two couriers who had delivered the money. Taking the weight between them, the two men began walking back down the corridor from which they had appeared. When the indicator light above the airlock came on, the helmsman on the bridge initiated the commands to disengage and retrieve the docking arm.

With the two ships once more separated; Rotok ordered his helmsman to open a channel. "I trust everything meets your approval?" he enquired. "You have no idea how much trouble I had getting---"

"Our business is concluded" said the voice from the transport, interrupting the Hutt mid flow. "We shall not speak again."

Rotok's tolerance for the insolence coming from the unknown figure was stretched to breaking point; and with his payment now safely on board, he no longer bothered to keep his temper in check.

"Do not try my patience any further or I will find myself another buyer for your package after I remove it from the wreckage of your ship." There was no response.

"Helmsman, take us out of here" Rotok ordered, his thoughts turning to the massive profit he had just made. The helmsman said nothing. "Did you hear what I said?" shouted the Hutt. Again, there was no response from the figure at the navigation array. The young pilot's eyes were open wide, staring straight ahead as if transfixed by some invisible object far off in the distance. Suddenly, he looked down and began punching in navigational commands. The ship accelerated but instead of making the jump to light speed, banked sharply to starboard. From the view screen, Rotok could see they were now flying directly towards the sun. "You fool! What are you doing?" shouted Rotok but as before, the young man said nothing.

The Hutt opened a comm link to the cargo hold. "Vokol, report to the bridge at once." There was no reply. "Vokol, where are you? Respond" he repeated, now more than a little worried. In the cargo hold Vokol and his lieutenant writhed in agony on the floor, both men clutching their throats as they tried desperately to breathe. Though they wanted to, they couldn't even scream.

On the bridge Rotok spoke once more to his unresponsive helmsman. "I order you to change course at once." The words from the huge Hutt echoed around the bridge but did not register with the still entranced pilot. The view screen showed the sun directly ahead of them; and it was growing much larger. For the first time in his life, Rotok was genuinely scared. With all the speed he could muster, he slithered down from his platform and moved to the motionless figure in front of him. Rotok grabbed the pilot's head with one huge hand and threw him clear across the bridge. He started to enter a new course heading but his commands were not accepted. Their current course had been locked in and the Hutt did not possess the knowledge to override it. In blind panic, he turned his attention to his helmsman in one last desperate attempt to escape.

The futility of this was immediately obvious. Blood poured from a gaping head wound. Even if he wasn't dead yet, the pilot was certainly no use to him now.

Around the bridge; alarms started to sound. "Warning. Shields Failing" voiced the automatic security system. "Structural Integrity Failing" sounded another. A power relay behind Rotok exploded.

One final time, Rotok the Hutt turned to look at the view screen. The whole image was now of the giant sun bearing down on them. He screamed as the shields failed and ship exploded.


End file.
